Vee Vargas
She/HerprofessionalOpen to Opportunity
Oakland, CA, USABe Here
Be Here
About me
I’m Vee Vargas (they/she), a first-generation Queer Latina, licensed hairstylist, and founder of Be Here Salon & Collective in Oakland, California. With over 12 years of professional styling experience, I specialize in luxury, lived-in hair color and cuts for diverse textures, identities, and stories.
My work lives at the intersection of beauty, healing, and social equity. After years of working in traditional salon spaces, I felt the deep need to create something more—a sanctuary where care, creativity, and community could thrive together. That calling led me to launch Be Here: a gender-neutral, gratuity-free, and sustainability-centered salon committed to uplifting BIPOC, queer, and underrepresented artists and guests.
Beyond the chair, I am passionate about building career pathways for emerging stylists. Through our Be Infinite Apprenticeship Program, I mentor and train the next generation with a trauma-informed, bilingual, and holistic approach.
As a 2025 NAHA Finalist, I am proud to represent artistry that reflects and serves real people—and to hold space for transformation, one head and heart at a time.
Education
My work
Why I'm here
I’m here because beauty should be a place of belonging.
For too long, the beauty industry has asked people—especially BIPOC, queer, and gender-expansive folks—to shrink themselves in order to be seen. I wanted to change that. I created Be Here to be a sanctuary: a space where care, creativity, and identity can exist in their full expression.
I’m here to offer more than hair services—I’m here to co-create healing, to open doors for underrepresented artists, and to reimagine what leadership looks like in this industry. I believe in mentorship, in sustainability, in transparency, and in joy. I believe we all deserve to feel beautiful on our own terms.
Key Performance Indicators
Additional Information
Awards and Achievements
